This idiot about backed into me today !!!

Hi,

I was going on my ride and while leaving my condo complex this guy was leaving right in front of me. He turns left and I did too and stayed a safe distance away from him. Then all of a sudden he tries to do a very quick 3 point turn to find a parking spot along the curb, on the street. So I start to slow down but as soon as he turned to the curb, he very quickly put the car in resverse and backed up. I had to stop right away so he wouldn't back into me.

He then looked up and saw me about 3' from his door and was very surprised that I was there. I know he didn't look in his mirror or even look around since I think I scared him that I was so close. I tell him to watch how he is driving because he could have hit me. He then takes off very fast, after telling me that "i need to learn how to ride a bike", squealing his tires, to go forward to get a parking spot.

I then do a u turn to go back to him and I start chewing him out for the way he was driving. We have many kids that play around here and young families that go shopping down the street and then push the carts home with their groceries. He says, and this just about set me off:

"I've been riding a motorcycle for 6 years", "You need to learn to ride a motorcycle".

I was about to pull him out of his car to wring his neck. But then I told him that I have been riding a m/c since I was 15 and I'm 52 now. He just kept saying that "i've been riding a M/C for 6 years and that I need to learn how to ride a motorcycle".

The funny thing is that he has a big sticker on the back of his trunk that says:

"Beware of Motorcycles on the roads"

I guess I'm just venting since he is so in-experienced that he thinks that riding for 6 years is a long time. But he probably thought that since I was on a scooter that I automatically don't know how to ride. In my younger days I would have pulled him out of his car and did an "ex Marine" thing on him. But I guess I have mellowed out in my years.

Semper Fi, Jeff. I know that feeling only too well. My daughter is learning to drive and ride; I show her stories like yours to illustrate how to react when people take unexpected actions behind the wheel.

As far as chewing out the other driver and wringing his neck goes, I'll have her hold off on those for now.

Hey Steve,

That is good advice to your daughter to not chew others out. I will do the same with my daughter is a few years too. I usually don't do this to people but after he told me that I need to learn how to drive ..just got my goat. I'm usually a pretty low key person. Oh, he was wearing a Yamaha hat too. Everything about this guy was about motorcycle saftey..and then he does this.

Jeff I can empathise with you.

I have had my share of confrontations with the 'idiot community'.

He's ridden a bike for 6 years!!! He's no John Grinsell then!!!!!

(No Offence intended John)